Recent advances in native valve endocarditis

This focused review highlights the latest issues in native valve infective endocarditis (NVIE). Native valve disease moderately increases the risk of developing IE. In 2023, new diagnostic criteria were published by the Duke-ISCVID group. New pathogens were designated as typical and findings on CT were included as diagnostic criteria. It is now recognized that a multidisciplinary approach to care is vital, and the role of an “endocarditis team” is highlighted. Recent studies have suggested that a transition from intravenous to oral antibiotics in selected patients may be reasonable, and the role of long-acting antibiotics is discussed. It is now clear that an aggressive surgical approach can be life-saving in some patients. Finally, there have been several recent studies that have suggested there is an association between dental and other invasive procedures and an increased risk of developing IE. Moreover, data indicate that antibiotic prophylaxis may be effective in some scenarios.